Electrical fuse of the multiple element type



1934- E. cl CAELLI' ELECTRICAL FUSE OF THE MULTIPLE ELEMENT TYPE FiledJuly 5, 1952 Patented Aug. 7, 1934 UNITED STATES ELECTRICAL FUSE OF THEMULTIPLE ELEMENT TYPE Eric Clinton Caelli, Brighton Beach, Victoria,Australia Application July 5, 1932, Serial No. 620,950 In AustraliaAugust 27, 1931 6 Claims.

This invention relates to protective fuses for electrical circuits andhas special reference to an improved fuse of the type having a number offuse elements carried on an insulating mounting and so arranged that anyone of the fuse elements may form a fusible link in an electricalcircuit and may be readily replaced by another when melted or blown byexcessive overloading.

The improved multiple element fuse has been more particularly devisedfor use on automobiles, and it may be adapted to detachably fit theusual fuse block spring clips or terminals.

It has been proposed previously to make fuses of multiple element typein which any one of a 5 plurality of fuse links may be included in anelectrical circuit. However, in such prior constructions the fuse linkshave been positioned in the interior of an insulating body or inchambers formed in such a body. The insulating material composing a fusebody is generally of a dense opaque character, so that the fuse linkswhen positioned within the body are invisible and in the event of a fuselink becoming blown it cannot be readily ascertained which of said linkshas been destroyed, and which of the remaining fuse links are availablefor use. Moreover, the spacing of the fuse links in the interior of theinsulating body and the provision of separate chambers for the fuselinks in the body unduly increased the size of the article. Furthermore,in the prior multiple type fuses, there was a multiplicity of parts,which increased the cost of production and made the fuses relativelyexpensive.

In a multiple element fuse for automotive pur-' poses it is essentialthat the fusible elements or simple construction and comparativelyinex-k pensive to manufacture. The present invention fulfills the aboverequirements, and it provides a multiple element fuse of extremelysimple character and of low cost, and which is small and compact and canbe readily inserted in the standard fuse clips or.

terminals on an automobile, and in which the usual spring clips orterminals in the fuse boxes fusible elements or fuse links are clearlyvisible for inspection.

In this invention the fusible elements or fuse links are mounted on theexterior of an insulating mounting or fuse bodywhich is provided withcontacts adapted for releasable engagement with the spring fuse clips orterminals commonly provided in the electrical circuits of automobiles.The fuse links are all connected with one of the contacts, and a pair ofspring conductors is provided on the opposed contact and may beassociated with any one of the fuse links to complete the circuitbetween the contacts. The contact on which the spring conductors aremounted detachably fits the fuse body and it is adapted on removal todisconnect the pair of spring conductors from one of the fusibleelements or fuse links, and on replacement on said body in a differentposition said contact is adapted to associate said conductors withanother of the fusible elements or fuse links.

The insulating mounting or fuse body is preferably of cruciform sectionand is provided with longitudinal channels or compartments toaccommodate the fusible elements or fuse links, and to isolate saidelements or links one from another. The contacts previously referred tocomprise caps or thimbles mounted on the opposite ends of the fuse body,one of the caps or thimbles being electrically associated with all thefuse links, and the opposed capor thimble being detachable from the fusebody.

In the accompanying explanatory drawing:-

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a multiple element fuse according tothe invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the fuse shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan of the fuse in Fig. 1 with the upper contact removed.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 and 6 are side elevations .of complementary insulating stripsforming portions of the body of the fuse shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7. is a perspective view showing the method of assembling thecomplementary insulating strips.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a detail of the invention.

Fig. 9 is an elevation of a modified detail.

In the drawing, 1 designates an insulating mounting or fuse body ofcruciform shape or section and made of fibre or other suitableinsulating material. The fuse body 1 may be made by moulding but ispreferably constructed of two complementary insulating strips 2 and 3shown in Figs. 5 and 6, respectively. The strips 2 and 3 are providedwith axial slots 4 and 5, and when said strips are assembled in themanner illustrated in Fig. 7, they become firmly interlocked to form thecruciform fuse body 1 shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. The strips 2 and3 are provided with lugs 6 through which are formed holes 7 receivingmetal eyelets 8.

0n the ends of the cross strips 2 and 3 or cruciform fuse body 1 aremounted caps or thimbles 9 and 10, the cap or thimble 9 being detachablyfixed to the fuse body 1 whereas the cap or thimble 10 is tightly fittedon said body.

Fuse wires 11 of required amperage capacity are fixed to the eyelets 8and extend along the sides of the crossed strips 2 and 3 and at theiropposite ends are integrally united as by soldering with the thimble orcap 10.

It will be observed that the crossed strips 2 and 3 form fourlongitudinal channels or compartments 12 in each of which is mounted afuse wire or fuse link 11. When mounted in the channels or compartments12, the fuse links are isolated one from another and are fully open forinspection and are clearly visible.

A spring clip 13 is united as by soldering with the detachable thimbleor cap 9, and the limbs 14 of the spring clip 13 are made in such mannerthat they tend to spring towards each other. The lower ends of the limbs14 are provided with extensions 15 which are indented to" formoutstanding bosses 16 on their inner sides. The limbs 14 are of suchlength that when the thimble 9 is placed on the fuse body 1 with thelimbs 14 on opposite sides of one of the strips 2 or 3, the bosses 16will engage the eyelet 8 in said strip with snap action.

In order to facilitate engagement of the bosses 16 with the eyelets 8,outturned tongues 17 may be formed on the extensions 15 as shown in Fig.8. If preferred, the spring clip 13 and the limbs 14 may be formed asintegral extensions of the contact thirnble 9 as shown in Fig. 9.

The thimbles 9 and 10 form contacts which are adapted to be sprung intoor resiliently engaged with the usual spring fuse terminals (not shown)of an automobile electrical circuit. The limbs 14 of the clip 13, eyelet8 and fuse wire or link 11 form an electrical conductor between thecontact thimbles 9 and 10, and in the event of a current passing throughthe circuit of greater amperage than the overload amperage capacity ofthe fuse Wire or link 11, said wire or link will melt or become blown,thereby breaking the circuit.

The contact thimble 9 may then be removed and replaced with the limbs 14on opposite sides of another strip 2 or 3 in order to effect engagementof the bosses 16 with the corresponding eyelet 8, and accordingly placeanother fuse wire or link 11 in the circuit.

The multiple element fuse above described is simple in construction, andit may be readily inserted in an electrical circuit of an automobile.Moreover, it provides a number of reserve fusible elements or fuse linkswhich are safely stored and cannot become damaged as not infrequentlyhappens wh n spare fuses are carried loosely on automobiles.Furthermore, the fusible elements or fuse links are clearly visible, andin the'event of electrical breakdown of an automobile circuit, the blownfusible element or fuse link can be immediately seen and as'thecondition of the remaining elements or links can also be observed, theblown fuse may be readily replaced.

What I do claim is:-'

1. An electrical fuse of multiple element type comprising, radiatingstrips of insulating material forming an insulating body with angularchannels between said strips, a contact fixed at one end of theinsulating body, terminals fixed in the radiating strips and spacedapart from the fixed contact, fusible elements in said channels and eachconnected at its opposite ends respectively to the fixed contact and toone of the terminals, conductors adjustably and resiliently associablewith the terminals, and a detachable contact carrying said conductorsand mounted on the opposite end of the insulating body, said detachablecontact being adapted by change of position on the insulating body toassociate said conductors with any selected terminal.

2. An electrical fuse of multiple element type according to claim 1wherein the terminals consist of eyelets fixed to the insulating strips,and the conductors carried by the detachable and adjustable contactconsist of metal strips which are resiliently engageable with saideyelets.

3. In an electrical fuse, an insulating body formed of flat stripsshaped to longitudinally interfit to provide a plurality of angularlyrelated, radially extending ribs, a conducting cap secured to one end ofthe body and preventing the separation of the strips, fuse conductors inelectrical contact with the cap and extending longitudinally of theribs, a contact in each rib forming the terminal of the fuse strip onthat rib, a cap movably mounted on the opposite end of the body, and aconductor carried by the last named cap for selective electricalcooperation with any of said contacts.

4. An electrical fuse comprising an insulating body made up of flatsections formed with longi tudinal slots extending from one end and.terminating short of the other end of each section, the slots permittingrelative longitudinal interfitting of the sections to provide a bodyhaving angularly related, radially disposed ribs, a contact cap securedto one end of the body, a plurality of fuse strips extending from thecontact cap longitudinally of the ribs and terminally secured to thelatter, a second cap movably cooperating with the opposite end of thebody and constructed to selectively engage electrically any one of thefuse strips.

5. An electrical fuse comprising an insulating body formed to presentangularly related, longitudinally extending ribs, a conducting capsecured to one end of the body, a contact carried by each rib adjacentthe opposite end of the body, fuse strips extending from the contact capand on each rib and terminating in the contact on that rib, a second capmovably cooperating with the opposite end of the body, and a conductorextending from the latter cap and electrically engaging with a selectedcontact, said conductor engaging both sides of a selected rib.

6. An electric fuse including an insulating body formed to provideradially disposed, longitudinally extending ribs, a conducting capsecured to one end of the body, an eyelet contact extending through eachrib adjacent the opposite end of the body, a fuse strip extendinglongitudinally of each rib and electrically connecting the contact capand the eyelet on that rib, a second cap removably cooperating with theopposite end of the body, and a two-branch conductor extending from thesecond cap for cooperation with both ends of the eyelet on a selectedrib.

ERIC C. CAELLI.

